NORTH END OF THE LAKE — INi^AND SEA. 105 



eiglit miles to the soutliward, the flat extending in that direction 

 to the water's edge. Two of these streams (all of which were salt) 

 we crossed without much difficulty ; but the third, on the western 

 side of the flat, was impassable, and we had to ascend it for three 

 miles before we could obtain a crossing. On the west side of this 

 latter branch comes in a small tributary, in the bed of which, near 

 its source, a beautiful spring, ten feet wide, bubbles up from the 

 bottom, with a column of water rising in its centre six inches in 

 diameter. The water was clear as crystal, but salt and sulphurous, 

 which latter quality might account for the numerous tracks of the 

 antelope around its margin, as that animal is known to delight in 

 waters of this character. 



This extensive flat appears to have formed, at one time, the 

 northern portion of the lake, for it is now but slightly ^bove its 

 present level. Upon the slope of a ridge connected with this 

 plain, thirteen distinct successive benches, or water-marks, were 

 counted, which had evidently, at one time, been washed by the 

 lake, and must have been the result of its action continued for 

 some time at each level. The highest of these is now about two hun- 

 dred feet above the valley, which has itself been left by the lake, 

 owing probably to gradual elevation occasioned by subterraneous 

 causes. If this supposition be correct, and all appearances conspire 

 to support it, there must have been here at some former period 

 a vast inland sea, extending for hundreds of miles ; and the isolated 

 mountains which now tower from the flats, forming its western 

 and south-western shores, were doubtless huge islands, similar to 

 those which now rise from the diminished waters of the lake. 



In passing over this mud-plain, the glare from the oozy sub- 

 stance of which it is composed was extremely painful to the eyes. 

 Leaving it behind us, we ascended a ridge to the west of it, two 

 or three miles broad, passing over some remains of shales and 

 altered limestone with conglomerate, the crest being composed of 

 porous trap, underlying the sedementary rocks, and cropping out 

 to the west. It may be remarked here, that the general direction 

 of all the ridges noticed in this region is north and south, and 

 they terminate most frequently in sharp, bold promontories, to the 

 south. A herd of antelope was seen on this ridge, numbering 

 about a hundred, but too wild to be approached. 



Descending its western slope, we came into another plain, some- 

 what similar to the last in form, but much more extensive in all di- 

 rections, and densely covered with artemisia. Over this desolate. 



